Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Climate change has devastating effects on Egypt

ANSAmed: Storms, heat waves and floods have a devastating effect: a study by the EU-supported FEMISE research network measuring the effects of climate change in Egypt in 2050 asserts that if no action is taken, climate change will reduce Egypt's GDP by as much as 10% in that year.

The study recommends quickly implementing measures, such as making irrigation systems more efficient and providing better protection for coastal and plantation areas, to mitigate the impact of climate change. These first few steps alone would enable Egypt to restrict its GDP loss in 2050 to 4%.

According to the report, temperatures rose by between 3C and 3.5C between 1960 and 1990, and they are expected to increase by another 2C by 2050. The country's tourist industry is likely to suffer from this, but many other sectors will also be affected.

There could be significant damage to farming, which is particularly vulnerable to deviations in temperature and rainfall. Egypt felt the full force of climate change during the heat wave of 2010. The country's farms, which are concentrated in the Nile valley and delta, were hit hard, resulting in a sharp increase in prices. Agricultural productivity is a certain casualty of rising temperatures.

The experts also highlighted the impact of power cuts on production systems, and particularly on refrigeration systems. This is something that could eventually put investors off. As well as the impact on consumption and investment, property depreciation must also be taken into account, particularly in coastal areas as a direct result of rising sea levels....

June 2009 – At the studios of Cleanskies TV, I was interviewed about the costs of climate change, and discussed adaptation efforts underway in the US and around the world.

May 2009 – I helped draft the scenarios for Rising Waters, a multistakeholder scenarios effort focused on climate change adaptation in the Hudson Valley. The final report is now completed and available here.

May 2008 – I reviewed two books on climate and energy in the New Leader magazine: James Gustave Speth's The Bridge at the Edge of the World: Capitalism, the Environment and Crossing from Crisis to Sustainability, plus Robert Bryce's Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of Energy Independence.

January 2008 – A very local paper covers a very global issue.... The Litchfield County Times in northwestern Connectictut ran an article in January 2008 about Carbon-Based.

Now available: Climate Change Adaptation in 2011

A selection of my writings from 2011, plus some of my posts, as well as links... all focusing on the risks of climate change